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When scouts or coaches examine a quarterback’s potential to play in the NFL, they run down a checklist of physical, mental, and personality traits that affect a quarterback’s success on the field. The[more…]

In American football, the quarterback relays to his teammates in the huddle what play the coach has called. The play is a mental blueprint or diagram for every player on the field. Quarterbacks are also[more…]

When discussing the passing game in American football, you use certain words and descriptions. Because passing involves the quarterback throwing the football, many of these terms relate to preventing or[more…]

In an American football game, a running back has a responsibility, or assignment, on every play. Running backs may have the toughest job on the football field because they have to not only know every play[more…]

In American football, the offensive line can receive a variety of penalties for transgressions on the field. When the ref blows the whistle because of something an offensive lineman did, the team receives[more…]

Knowing one type of American football block from another can help you impress a diehard fan or want to play on the offensive line. Here’s the lowdown on some of the most common block types in football:[more…]

Scoring is always an offense’s ultimate goal in an American football game, but to score, you have to move down the field toward your opponent’s end zone. The offense uses various strategies for gaining[more…]

With the exception of kicking plays, quarterbacks touch the ball on every offensive play during a football game. A quarterback’s job is to direct his team toward the end zone and score as many points as[more…]

When a quarterback prepares for a football game, he wants to be able to read the defense — look at a specific defensive alignment and instantly know which offense will or won’t succeed against it.[more…]

Understanding what’s going on during football running plays is much easier when you know who’s responsible for the running game. The next time you see a football offense set up, look for the two players[more…]

Running backs need more skills than American football players at other positions. During any given football game, a running back may run the ball, catch a pass, or block an opposing player. Occasionally[more…]

An offensive formation in a football game is how the offense aligns all 11 of its players prior to using a particular play. A team can run or pass out of many formations, but these three backfield formations[more…]

In a football game, the offensive line’s job is to protect the quarterback. Linemen need to develop certain characteristics, both individually and as a unit, to effectively execute plays that keep the[more…]

In an American football pass play, the offense throws the ball, rather than running with it. A team uses specific types of pass offenses, depending on the situation. These pass formations are used throughout[more…]

During the course of an American football game, a team’s offense often finds that one pass play works particularly well against a certain defense and matchup. To keep using the play in that game and to[more…]

Man-to-man coverage in American football is a style in which one football player guards (or defends) another. The defender covers a single receiver no matter where he runs. His responsibility is to make[more…]

In a football game, one of the most important things for a quarterback to learn is the running game and how it affects his steps from center. Some running plays call for the quarterback to open his right[more…]

In a football game, a quarterback begins each offensive play with his stance behind the center and his hands under the center. The center snaps the football back to the quarterback, as shown in this figure[more…]

Wide receivers and tight ends are the principal players who catch passes in American football, although running backs also are used extensively in every passing offense. Receivers come in all sizes and[more…]

An American football coach — or a quarterback, for that matter — sometimes needs to lead his football team’s offense out of the sticky situations that arise. Offenses use these strategies to gain the necessary[more…]